This invention relates generally to a method of making or manufacturing a jerky-type food product and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a jerky-type product for pets, which method provides a high yield from the original meat products used in the process.
Jerky-type food products, particularly jerky-type food products for pets, have become increasing popular. Jerky-type pet products provide a food product which may be flavored to enhance its appeal to the pet and which provides a source of nutrients for the pet. The jerky-type pet product may be used as a snack or a treat for the pet.
Jerky-type pet products are typically manufactured from a beef product particularly a beef waste product. The product may include other meat such as poultry, particularly in the form of poultry meal, and other products may be used as extenders. For example, soybeans may be used to enhance the protein content of the finished jerky-type pet food product.
Presently, jerky-type pet treats are manufactured by grinding frozen 3D beef and beef lungs and combining the ground product with a small quantity of fat and a small quantity of wheat (approximately 10%), a flavoring blend of spices and artificial smoke flavor. The amount of fat added is typically adjusted according to the fat content of the 3D beef and beef lungs (typically about 8%). The mixture which results is then forced through a forming dye typically by "V-Mag" type of pump. The shaped product is then cut to a predetermined length and placed on cooking racks which are constructed of expanded metal trays. The formed blend, which contains approximately 62% moisture is then "cooked" in a convection type low temperature oven for approximately four hours. Although this process results in a suitable finished product, the yield from this process is only approximately 45%.
Another method of making jerky is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,785 (Roth). This patent discloses a method wherein the material for making the jerky is first ground to a desired consistency and blended with selected curing agents or seasoning. The cured or seasoned material is then extruded on to a freezer drum and compressed on the drum to chill or freeze the material and to form the desired thickness of the jerky on the drum. The frozen jerky is then removed from the freezer drum, cut to desired lengths and deposited on a conveyor. The conveyor then passes the length through a hot air tunnel to thaw out the jerky strips. The heating of the jerky strips is continued until the moisture is removed therefrom. This process suffers from the same disadvantages as the process described above. The blended product must be dried to remove a sufficient amount of moisture to form the final jerky product. This moisture removal process reduces the yield of the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,009 (Lewis et al.) discloses a method of manufacturing dehydrated meat products. In the method disclosed in this patent, raw meat pieces are intimately mixed with vegetable materials to form a stiff cohesive mixture. One or more substances such as salt or salt in combination with dextrose, sucrose, fructose or hydrolysed plant proteins are added to reduce or control the water activity in the final product. After the materials have been mixed, the mixture is formed into a sheet or an extrusion and dried to produce an intermediate moisture product.
Other methods of manufacturing pet type treat products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,372 (Greene et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,929 (Lehn et al.).
Therefore in view of the above, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a process for producing a jerky-type product, which process will result in a high yield.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for making jerky-type products with a high protein content.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of making or manufacturing jerky-type products with a high meat content.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method of making or manufacturing jerky-type products in a relatively quick period of time compared to presently available methods.